The ruling Democratic Party of Japan on Saturday finalized its decision to approve the restart of the controversial Yamba dam construction project in Gunma Prefecture.
The project was halted in 2009 after the DPJ came to power. It was about 70% finished in terms of budget, but construction on the dam itself had yet to begin. It was to be completed by mid-2016.
It was one of the first projects to be scrapped by then Land and Infrastructure Minister Seiji Maehara as part of the DPJ's election manifesto pledge to cut dozens of public works projects considered wasteful.
On Saturday, Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda met with cabinet ministers to finalize the restart of the project and agreed that the fiscal 2012 budget will be adjusted accordingly.
The land ministry said it will allocate 1.8 billion yen to build storage facilities for construction materials and 12 billion yen to improve roads and other infrastructure near the dam, NHK reported.
The Yamba dam was considered a symbol of the big-money projects favored by successive governments led by the Liberal Democratic Party for decades during which billions of yen were pumped into rural areas for bridges, dams and airports, many of which get little use.
The freeze of the project sparked an outcry from local government officials and residents who had construction-related jobs. Many other residents had to give up their land and move family graves, while others had to relocate their businesses.
Located about 130 kilometers northwest of Tokyo, the dam is designed to help control flooding, as well as include power generation and water provision for four different prefectures plus Tokyo.
© Japan Today
11 Comments
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Speed
Jesus, how many promises can these guys break? They're also going to raise the Hanshin Expressway tolls from 500 to 800 yen in January. They've also rescinded the government subsidized child allowance back down to the local level. Really disappointing and a big backstab to the people who voted them in.
smithinjapan
All I can do is laugh. Another election promise broken? who's still counting?
kwatt
DPJ is breaking the all promises for people. They don't approve DPJ. Hence the prime minister should dissolve the House of Representatives soon and implement a general election for all people.
YuriOtani
The Tokyo government are liars LDP or DPJ it does not matter.
Seawolf
Went by that location last year, narrow valley stretching from the "once-famous" Kusatsu Onsen to Nakanojo city. They built a new road high above the valley with bridges stretching back and forth with one road leading towards the Yamba dam and threw in a new railway too. That alone must have cost a huge amount of money. While the road might seem justified, the railway for sure is not. But it's hard to back off from a "clean" energy-producing project now, peoples priorities have changed.
issa1
To Speed
" Jesus, how many promises can these guys break? They're also going to raise the Hanshin Expressway tolls from 500 to 800 yen in January. They've also rescinded the government subsidized child allowance back down to the local level. Really disappointing and a big backstab to the people who voted them in. "
DPJ party is a sham.
This party was created from the union Of the worst things existing in Japanese society. Pachinko, unions and financial support received from illegal aliens in Japan . what do you expect this kind of people? Lie, lie, lie, opportunism, populism, is the specialty of these people.
hereandthere
actually this "backtrack" decision makes a lot of sense. Though not mentioned in the article (or on TV news last night,) is the fact that this dam will also provide electricity, a real needed commodity in the Kanto area after 3/11. Electricity is not the original purpose of the dam, but every little bit is going to help in future.
globalwatcher
Hey guys, what is a priority here? Tohoku restraton or Yamba Dam? It looks like the priority is messed up here.
Cricky
When in doubt build something, the bigger the better and concrete has such a calming and cheerful aura. People YEN for it.
Cricky
Promises broken? That must be the most sublime expression of Japanese politics? The rustling of paper bags is drowning out their words, If, if it's for a good reason, then explain the reason much better than this!
nath
In a certain time, a local economy is revised and grown by public works as well as other tourism promotion.